Mayday in the Mountains
by Yankee Bard
Summary: One of Team Possible's gadgets fails on a cold night in the Alps, putting Kim on the sidelines. Her first time back in the game, Motor Ed gives her the slip, while Monkey Business continues in Cambodia. Chapter 8 is up.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Nope, don't own any of the KP characters from the series. They belong to Disney. A few of the bit players are mine. This epic, along with the rest of my writing career is, unfortunately, a non-profit operation.

**MAYDAY IN THE MOUNTAINS**

**Chapter 1 - Rough Landing**

So far the mission was flawless. Wade had disabled the security system protecting the lair. Using stealth and the cover of early morning darkness Team Possible entered the mountain top lair in an old castle. Dementor and most of his henchmen were still asleep. While Kim took out the two guards watching the laboratory entrance, Ron and Rufus slipped inside and recovered the experimental fusion generator stolen the previous day from the Middleton Space Center. With the device safely stowed in Kim's backpack, our heroes made for the exit. They hadn't counted on the dogs.

Dementor's two canine sentries met them as they left the building, loudly voicing the alarm. In seconds the lair was ablaze in light and became a frenzy of activity as henchmen rolled out of bed reacting to the intrusion. As the henchmen poured into the courtyard, Kim and Ron activated their jet packs to escape. Laser fire erupted below them as they flew over the outer walls of the castle-lair. Ron was above and slightly ahead of Kim. He didn't notice when Kim's jet pack began to sputter and lose altitude. Rufus chattered, an unheard warning. When that failed, he nipped Ron's leg to get his attention. Ron looked down to see Rufus pointing behind chattering "Kim!" Ron barely caught a glimpse of her as she dropped into one of the deep valleys below the castle. Ron circled back to a clearing near where he last saw Kim and landed. He activated the kimmunicator.

"Wade, Kim's down. Can you get a fix on her position?"

Working swiftly, Wade first attempted to signal Kim. No response. A few more keystrokes, and a frown covered his face. "Her kimmunicator is out," he told Ron, "but I'm getting a signal from her suit chip. Her vitals appear ok, but slow. I think she's unconscious."

"Where is she?"

"About 3 miles from you and several thousand feet lower," came the response. "What's the weather like there?"

"Colder than Bonnie's heart," Ron replied.

"Her battle suit should have enough power to keep her from freezing for maybe four hours. Beyond that, unless she finds shelter, she could be in big trouble." Wade said.

"You notify search and rescue, I'll get moving and try to find her," Ron replied. "Wade, keep an eye on Dementor's lair and his henchmen. If they saw her go down, they may be out looking too. Keep me posted. Ron, out."

Meanwhile, back in Dementor's lair, a team of henchmen prepared to set out in search of the fallen member of Team Possible. "Recover ze fusion generator," Dementor instructed.

"What about whoever we find?" asked the leader of the henchmen.

"Leave zem to freeze," Dementor replied. "Or better still, bloody zem a lettle so ze wolves vill find zem." Dementor's force boarded snowmobiles and set out into the early morning darkness.

Wade contacted search and rescue, giving them Kim's coordinates. He was not pleased with the response, which he quickly relayed to Ron. "I contacted search and rescue. There's a storm moving in. It already has the helicopters grounded so ground rescue is our only hope. It will take them at least two hours to get to Kim's location if they can stay ahead of the storm. They are mobilizing right now."

"We take what help we can get," Ron replied. "What's Kim's condition?"

"Her vitals indicate she is awake, but not moving. Either she found some cover or she's hurt. I can't tell." Wade replied.

Down the mountain Kim awoke and looked around. She was on a narrow ledge a few feet above a roaring mountain stream. Above her, the pine forest extended to the edge of the cliff. She looked around and saw that the ledge extended some 50 feet in either direction, with no obvious path either up or down. 'At least I didn't land in the water,' she thought. Her jet pack had lasted long enough to get her within a few feet of the ground so she was in relatively good shape. There was blood on her forehead where she hit the rocks behind her on landing. She looked at her wrist and in frustration released a string of adjectives her mother would never allow in the house, all directed at her shattered kimmunicator and the rocks where she landed.

'Amp down, Possible' she told herself. 'What do we have to work with?'

She checked her battle suit and found all systems operating normally. The read-outs told her she had less than four hour's power remaining. 'The suit systems will let Wade know I'm alive and where I am. Ron should already be looking for me, but I need to find some shelter,' she thought. She tried to stand, but quickly leaned against the rocks behind her as she felt a sharp pain in her left knee. Another unladylike tirade followed. She looked around for something to use as a crutch, but found only small branches littering the ledge, buried under a light blanket of snow. 'I guess I'm stuck here,' she thought, as she began to gather wood for a fire.

Dementor's men roared through the forest, heading for the place where they had seen the jetpack begin to sputter and fall. Fortunately for Kim they were directing their efforts several thousand feet up the mountain above the waterfall that fed the stream running beneath her. She was blissfully unaware of this threat as she planned for her survival. She was hungry, so she ate one of the energy bars in her pack and washed it down with a couple handfuls of snow. Then she moved back against the cliff, seeking shelter under a rocky overhang. She gathered some of the fallen branches into a pile to insulate her from the frozen rock, started her fire and sat back to wait, hoping the warmth of the fire would help conserve the battle suit's remaining power. As she sat back to wait, she thought she heard Ron's voice. "Everything is OK. I know where you are and I'm coming." She shook her head and looked around. She saw no one. The only sounds were the rushing water below her and the wind blowing through the trees above.

Meanwhile Ron was working his way down into the valley. It was slow going as the walls of the valley were steep and rocky. The journey was perilous for a lone climber. Fortunately the slope was wooded. Ron quickly adopted a strategy of moving from tree to tree, casting his grapple to a tree below him then working his way down, relying on the grapple as a safety line should he slip. When he reached the end of the grapple line, he would disengage the hook and shoot it into a tree at a lower elevation, then repeat the procedure. After about an hour, he found himself on the valley floor, next to the stream. He stopped to rest, and signaled Wade. "What's happening?" he asked.

Wade reported. "The rescue team started out about 45 minutes ago. So far they are ahead of the weather. If the storm doesn't come in any faster than it has so far, they should get to Kim's location in just over an hour. The weather will probably move in before they can get back out, but at least they carry survival gear.

Kim's signal is still strong and she has moved, but not far. There is nothing to indicate she's hurt, at least not badly.

On the down side, a force of Dementor's men moved out about the same time as the rescue team. Fortunately they're searching above the waterfall and have no easy route down to where you are. I notified GJ and they're sending people to deal with Dementor's goons.

Right now you are about a mile from Kim, but it appears she is on the other side of the stream. I'll download the most recent satellite photos of your area so you can have a better idea of the lay of the land."

"Thanks, Wade," Ron answered. "Let me know if anything changes. Ron out."

Ron brought up the photos on his screen. He was relieved to see that the valley floor appeared reasonably even between where he was and the dot on the screen indicating Kim's position. Fortunately the snow was only a few inches deep so he was able to move with relative ease. It would still be a hard walk, and there was the matter of crossing the stream. It was much too cold to wade, and the photos showed nothing that could be used as a bridge in either direction. 'I'll deal with that when I find her,' Ron thought as he began his trek downstream.

Dementor's search party had covered the area above the falls and was taking a break when one of them looked downstream and saw what appeared to be a light. He directed a pair of high-powered binoculars toward the source of the light and saw a person huddled next to a small fire. The goons quickly mounted their snowmobiles and headed toward the light. Less than five minutes later a Global Justice transport landed at the top of the falls.

Meanwhile, the storm had overtaken the rescue party moving upstream, slowing them to a crawl. It wasn't bad enough yet to force them to stop, but the driver couldn't see well enough to move any faster than walking speed. At this rate it would take them much longer reach Kim's location. They passed this information to Wade, who relayed it to Ron, along with the current positions of Dementor's goons and the GJ team. Dementor's forces were on the same side of the stream as Kim, holding their lead on their GJ pursuers. Taking a deep breath, Ron stepped up his pace. He had to get to Kim before Dementor's goons found her.


	2. Chapter 2  Perils of the Night

Disclaimer: Nope, don't own any of the KP characters from the series. They belong to Disney. A few of the bit players are mine. This epic, along with the rest of my writing career is, unfortunately, a non-profit operation.

Chapter 2 – Perils of the Night 

As a light snow began to fall, Kim leaned closer to her small fire, hoping its heat would keep her from draining her suit's power supply. Several times she caught herself nodding off. Jerking her head up, she reminded herself to keep alert. The chill breeze blowing up the valley blew the snow into her face helping to keep her awake.

She heard a rustling and scrabbling from downstream. Hoping it might be Ron, she braced herself against the rock face behind her, standing on her good leg to get a better look. The sounds continued as she looked into the darkness. She closed her eyes and moved slightly toward the sound, hoping to restore her night vision. The sound moved closer. She opened her eyes to see two shining orbs looking back at her from perhaps a hundred feet away. She was no longer alone on the ledge. The low growl made clear her companion was not a friend.

Kim edged back to the relative safety of her fire, hoping scout lore concerning predator's fear of fire was true. She picked up a large branch, lighting the tip in her fire and holding it aloft as a torch. She saw a wolf crouching on the ledge. It appeared tense, its tail straight out behind. Another growl emanated from its' throat.

Kim tossed the flaming branch at the wolf, hoping to persuade it to retreat. Between the wind and the awkwardness of her stance, it fell far short of its target, and then slipped over the edge falling to the stream below. The wolf growled again and moved forward. Kim limped back closer to the fire and began rummaging through her backpack looking for something she could use to defend herself. She briefly considered the knockout gas, but the wind was against her. At the bottom, she found the laser ring she used to cut her way out of Drakken's steel chest. There were some overhanging rocks between her and the wolf. She took careful aim and triggered the beam. The bright flash caused the wolf to retreat, but the beam fell short of its target.

Kim fell back behind her fire. She had gathered plenty of fuel for the cold night and she began piling it on, hoping to build a barricade of fire across the narrow ledge. The fire quickly grew as the wolf remained on the other side, ears erect and fur bristling as it snarled at the barrier between itself and its' dinner.

This was the scene that greeted Ron as he rounded a bend in the stream. He saw the light of Kim's fire and saw her standing behind it, prepared to defend herself. Ron called to her across the stream. Kim answered, "There's a wolf up here, Ron. My leg is hurt so I can't move around much. Get me out of here, please and thank you."

Ron looked across at the ledge. There was nothing there that would hold the grapple. He could shoot it into the trees at the edge of the cliff, but that left no way to recover it. He checked his suit readings and saw that he had enough fuel left in the jet pack to get them both back across the stream. After that the pack would be useless. Ron aimed the grapple at the trees above Kim and fired. The first shot fell short, so he recovered the line, moved upstream to higher ground and tried again. This time the grapple held. In the distance Ron could hear the faint whine of engines upstream from their location. He released the trigger and let the grapple pull him up and across the stream. He landed safely on the ledge a few feet from Kim.

Reaching into his backpack, he pulled out several emergency flares. He lit one and tossed it toward the wolf. Two more followed. The wolf cowered before the fire and sound of the flares and headed back down the ledge.

Turning to Kim he asked, "Are you OK? What happened?"

"Something happened to the jet pack. I couldn't stay airborne, but I managed to steer myself away from the stream and onto this ledge. The jet pack quit completely maybe 10 or 20 feet up. I was able to cushion my landing, but I hit my head on the rocks and apparently twisted my knee when I landed. I can't stand on my left leg," she replied. "And I feel a little dizzy."

Ron keyed the kimmunicator. "Wade, I've got her."

"Boo-yah," Wade exclaimed. "Plug the kimmunicator into her suit so I can get a full set of readings." Ron complied. "Full diagnostics indicate she has a slight concussion and has probably blown out her left knee. Anything else I can't see?"

Kim responded, "I have a big cut on my forehead, but it's not bleeding. No other damage I can see. This suit rocks. Without it I would be a bundle of scrapes and bruises if not frozen."

"Wade," Ron interjected, "I heard engine noises from upstream before I came across. How much time before Dementor's goons get here?"

"At most 10 minutes," came the unwelcome reply, "and GJ is still behind them. When Dementor's goons stop it will probably take GJ five minutes to close the gap."

"They're still on our side of the stream?" Ron asked as he piled snow onto the fire, hoping to kill the heat signature.

"Affirmative." Wade replied.

"Let GJ and the rescue team know we're moving. We'll use my jet pack and get to the other side, as far down stream as we can with the fuel I have left. Ron out."

Ron used the harness from Kim's jet pack to rig a carrier for her, allowing him to keep his hands free to operate the jet pack. The roar of engines was much too close for comfort before the two teens were again airborne. They were some 500 yards downstream when Dementor's force reached the edge of the cliff above Kim's makeshift camp. They scanned the area around them looking for a heat signature. Ron and Kim were able to put a little more distance between themselves and their pursuers before the heat of the jet pack was detected. Part of Dementor's force remained at the edge of the cliff firing in the direction of the retreating heroes, while the remainder mounted their snowmobiles and set off down stream.

The contour of the land changed about a mile downstream. Cliffs now flanked both sides of the stream. Ron selected a peak of rock on the opposite bank, steered the jet pack behind it and landed. He helped Kim to a place of relative safety behind the peak. "What's the plan?" Kim asked.

"We hold the high ground, so as long as the storm holds off we can see anybody who might be coming after us." Ron said. "Dementor's men are on the other side of the stream. The stream is in a small canyon at this point, so they have no good way to get across. Hopefully we can hold out here until either search and rescue or GJ get here."

Just then the kimmunicator beeped. "Go, Wade," Ron answered.

"Just an update. GJ caught up with some of Dementor's goons who were taking pot shots at you guys. They have them in custody, and have moved out after the rest of Dementor's force. They can't bring their hoverjet closer because there's no clear space big enough to land it. There is an unidentified aircraft approaching from upstream, probably Dementor's. You need to find some overhead cover now."

"Ron, take the fusion generator and get out of here," Kim told him. "I'll be alright until the rescue team shows up."

"Sorry, KP, being the distraction is my job. I'm staying. But we need to move back into the trees. Dementor has eyes in the sky." Ron looked around to make they left nothing important behind, then picked Kim up and headed into the trees.

Kim tugged at his arm, pointing. "Over their, Ron," she said. "It looks like some kind of a shelter."

Ron moved in the direction she indicated. They reached a stone shelter big enough for perhaps four people. "Must be a rest station for hikers," Ron said as he carefully lowered Kim to one of the wooden benches inside the shelter. Unfortunately the shelter was not designed for winter comfort. It did little to block the chill winds of the approaching storm. There was a small fire pit in the far corner of the shelter and a small supply of wood. Ron quickly built a fire and lit it with Kim's lipstick laser. He helped Kim to a seat near the fire, and then turned his attention back to the outside world.

"Give me an update, Wade." Ron spoke into the kimmunicator.

"GJ is on top of the goons on the far bank as we speak. They shouldn't give you any trouble. The unidentified aircraft is definitely Dementor's but I have no idea what if any weapons it carries. The rescue team is holding up about half a mile downstream until all the bad guys are handled."

"Thanks, Wade. Ron out." He turned to Kim and said, "looks like we might get out of this after all."

She smiled at him saying, "I never doubted it."

Just then Dementor's hoverjet flew overhead. They relaxed momentarily as the engines faded into the distance, but then tensed as it circled back. Fortunately the narrow stream bank offered no opportunity to land, and Dementor's instructions to recover the fusion generator intact precluded destruction of the shelter and those inside. Four of Dementor's henchmen rappelled down from the hoverjet and began to move toward the shelter, firing lasers in an attempt to force Ron and Kim to keep their heads down until they could get close enough for a capture.

Kim noticed a faint glow surround Ron. She was surprised when a sword appeared in his hand, immediately transforming itself into a large shield with a mirror finish. He moved out from the shelter toward the approaching henchmen. Ron's first target was the hoverjet. He angled the shield so that the beams from all four of the henchmen's weapons were directed upward toward the hoverjet. At least one of the beams found a critical target, and the hoverjet spun into the trees on the far side of the stream. Now only the henchmen remained.

Kim watched from the relative safety of the shelter, silently cursing her jet pack, damaged knee, and Dementor for putting Ron in such danger. 'I should be out there with him, but there's not a damn thing I can do.'

'Yes there is. Take the two on the left.'

'Where did that come from?' she asked herself as the four henchmen moved into the trees, attempting to surround Ron. Bracing herself against the wall, Kim moved painfully to the door of the shelter. She saw the henchmen had separated, two of them approaching across the clearing and two attempting to sneak through the woods to surround them. The tree branches were covered with snow. As two of the henchmen moved under a particularly large tree, Kim fired her grapple into its higher branches and pulled, causing the top of the tree to bend and shake. This triggered a cascade of snow all the way down the tree, burying the two unfortunate henchmen in snow up to their necks. Ron was no longer in danger of being surrounded.

The remaining henchmen moved toward Ron, still firing. Ron's shield was taking multiple hits from the laser rifles. The two henchmen had separated enough that he couldn't use their fire against them without exposing himself. Ron dropped and rolled to the left with laser bursts following him. 'Either this works or I'm a dead man,' he thought to himself, hoping the blade could change into more than just antique weapons. Fortunately it could. Two laser bolts flashed close to him as a taser appeared in his hand. Ron took careful aim and dropped both henchmen.

Meanwhile Dementor's other two goons managed to dig their way out of the snow Kim dumped on them and began moving toward the shelter. Kim ducked behind the low stone wall of the shelter, while Ron attempted to draw their attention. He fired at them, but they were out of range, moving to put the shelter between themselves and Ron, firing lasers in his direction. As Kim watched, Ron stood as if in meditation. The glow surrounding him grew brighter. She saw several laser blasts strike with no apparent effect. The sword was back in his hand, pointed toward the henchmen. Kim's eyes went wide as she saw the blue glow travel down the length of the blade, forming two blue orbs which flashed from the tip of the blade, stunning the two remaining henchmen.

Ron slowly staggered toward the shelter. He leaned briefly against the doorframe, and then collapsed. The glow surrounding him and the sword ceased. Kim felt her feeling of safety and comfort fade. She crawled over to him, calling, "Ron are you alright?" When he didn't answer, she did a quick check for pulse and breathing. Both were extremely slow. She activated the kimmunicator. "Ron's down, Wade. How much longer before we get some help?"


	3. Chapter 3  Trapped

Disclaimer: Nope, don't own any of the KP characters from the series. They belong to Disney. A few of the bit players are mine. This epic, along with the rest of my writing career is, unfortunately, a non-profit operation.

**Chapter 3 - Trapped**

While Kim's attention was focused on her partner, one of Dementor's henchmen was beginning to wake up. Rufus had emerged from the warmth of Ron's pocket when he felt his human collapse. Seeing what was going on outside, he began chattering at Kim.

"Not now, Rufus," she responded. "I have to take care of Ron."

Mumbling under his breath, Rufus dove into Kim's backpack in search of something to subdue all the henchmen. After a short search he located the elastic constricting lipstick. Crawling out of the backpack, he leaped to the low wall of the shelter to get a better look around. The last two henchmen Ron took down looked like they were out of the game for the foreseeable future. Both the others where stirring, the effects of the taser beginning to wear off.

Jumping down from the wall, Rufus headed out across the snow carrying the body-binding weapon. He got to within a couple feet of his prey as the first of the henchmen struggled to sit up. He immediately found himself covered with sticky pink goop that quickly began to shrink, binding him tightly. Wondering what happened, he looked in the direction of the attack and saw Rufus standing in the snow grinning at him. The mole rat turned his attention to the second henchman, binding him firmly in the same manner. He then scurried back to the shelter, seeking the warmth of the fire.

While Rufus dealt with the henchmen, Kim ran the kimmunicator over Ron's inert form, sending information on his condition to Wade. Wade in turn relayed it to the medics with the rescue team. Once the medics reviewed the information, he told Kim, "Everything checks out. The medics don't think he is in any real danger so long as you can keep him warm. He appears to be in some kind of a trance. What's the situation on the ground there?"

"Ron took out Dementor's hoverjet and the four henchmen it dropped on our doorstep. Rufus wrapped two of them up in your elastic goop, and the other two look like they will be out for a while. Ron's lying on his back in the doorway. There is a small fire going. I need to get both of us over there to keep us from freezing," Kim replied. "The snow is getting heavier and the wind is picking up. How long until someone can get us out of here?"

"The rescue team is still moving, but they say it's slow. Unless the weather gets worse they should reach you in less than 30 minutes. The Global Justice team was held up by the group of Dementor's henchmen who were taking pot shots at you from the far side of the canyon. They just headed out after the rest of Dementor's force."

"I hear snowmobile engines right now," Kim replied. "I just hope GJ catches up with them before they get here. I'm afraid there's not much I can do if Dementor's goons show up first." The last thing Wade heard before the transmission ended abruptly was, "Oh Snap!"

On the far side of the stream Kim saw two snowmobiles pull up to the canyon rim. The riders wore the gray uniform of Dementor's henchmen. The canyon was several hundred feet wide at this point. With luck, the shelter was far enough back to be beyond the range of the energy weapons carried by Dementor's force. Several bolts fired across the canyon proved this to be the case. She hoped they were not carrying anything that could be used to bridge the canyon.

Dementor's men were nothing if not determined. Kim watched as one of them produced a crossbow like device and pointed it at a thick copse of pine trees on her side of the canyon. A bolt sped across the gap and into the trees. Once it landed, two of the henchmen pulled on the rope until it was firmly anchored. Then they drew the rope tight and tied it to a large tree on the far side of the canyon. Moments later one of them began a hand over hand crossing of the canyon.

Kim and Rufus looked at each other. "Why couldn't it be Drakken?" she asked. "His henchmen are so out of shape they could never pull off something like this."

Rufus nodded his head, "yup yup." Then he headed toward Ron before disappearing.

Kim thought she noticed the same blue glow that had surrounded Ron in the copse of trees where the rope bridge was anchored. No sooner had she seen it than she heard an agonized scream and watched as the rope fell back toward the far side of the canyon taking the henchman with it.

"Way to go, Rufus," she called out, realizing what must have happened.

Laser fire quickly converged on the spot where the rope had been anchored. Kim was surprised to see the beams turned back on themselves, destroying the weapons from which they came. The trees concealed the action, but she knew Rufus must be responsible.

Kim heard the sound of more snowmobile engines approaching rapidly. Dementor's men quickly lost interest in things on her side of the canyon as they turned to face a much stronger threat from their rear. The darkness and snow obscured her view, but the sounds of the battle were clear in the crisp night air. It was over in a matter of minutes. Then Kim heard a familiar voice ordering the GJ forces to collect the prisoners and prepare them for transport.

By this time Rufus had returned to the shelter, a big grin on his face. In his paw was what looked like a miniature of the sword she had seen in Ron's hand. She looked over to Ron and saw the sword wasn't there. She shot a questioning look at the smallest member of the team who squeaked back what sounded like, "me, Ron, same." Rufus held the small sword at arms length, bowed slightly as if dismissing it, and moments later the sword disappeared.

Kim didn't remember Ron being quite so heavy. With nothing to brace against it was difficult to pull him over next to the fire. She winced each time she tried to push with her injured leg. Eventually they were close enough to the fire that it warmed both of them. A quick check showed the two bound henchmen still struggling with the goop that confined them. The other two still showed no signs of waking. She was just beginning to get comfortable when the kimmunicator beeped.

"Sitch me, Wade," Kim answered.

"GJ has everything under control across the canyon. Several agents are accompanying the rescue team. They will take charge of the four henchmen at your location."

"I think I hear them now."

"Then enjoy the rest of your visit to the scenic Bavarian Alps," Wade responded.

"Thanks, Wade. Sure you wouldn't care to trade places so you could enjoy freezing your butt off in the scenic Alps?" Kim replied, laughing.

The rescue team and three GJ agents arrived as they finished their conversation. Kim looked up. "You missed all the fun," she said with a slight hint of sarcasm in her voice.

"Sorry we couldn't get here sooner," the agent in charge replied, "but we had a little party of our own going on. Quite a little roundup. We got Dementor and most of his henchmen, so we shouldn't have to worry about them for a while. How are you two doing?"

"I won't be doing any cheerleading for a while. I wrecked my knee. I'm not sure what's going on with Ron. As soon as he put the last of the bad guys down he just collapsed. Nothing hit him so he should be OK." She said nothing either about the blade or the glow surrounding Ron while he wielded it.

The paramedic quickly checked Ron and cleared him for transport. He was placed on a stretcher and loaded into the rescue vehicle. Kim was offered a stretcher as well, but she shook her head. One of the rescue workers helped her into the vehicle where she sat next to Ron, holding his hand. The sun was rising and the storm was lifting as they set off for the comfort of the nearby town. They were met by a helicopter that took them to the hospital in Nurnberg.

Both teens received a thorough examination in the local hospital. Kim's knee was wrapped and she was given a crutch, along with strict instructions to stay off her feet as much as possible for at least a week. The doctors determined Ron was in an extremely deep sleep, no doubt brought on by the stress of his recent activities. The hospital kept him overnight for observation. Although she was offered a room in one of the town's best hotels, Kim elected to stay with Ron. She spent the night sitting with him, holding his hand.

Just before Ron awoke, Sensei came into his consciousness. "Stoppable-san, you have finally called the power within you. Each time you do, it increases and changes. There is much you must still learn about your power. The time to complete your training is at hand."

He awoke to find Kim seated in a chair next to his bed. Her disheveled appearance told him she hadn't left him for even the few minutes required to wash and comb her hair. "KP, wake up," he called. She stirred, slowly opening her eyes, shaking her head.

"Oh, hi Ron," she mumbled.

"I must have died and gone to heaven," he said, "'cause the first person I see waking up is an angel."

"Some angel. I'm a mess and I stink," she replied. "And I can hardly stand up and give you a kiss 'cause of this bum knee."

"That's OK. Just sit right there and hold my hand," he answered giving her a big smile.

Now that Ron was awake the medical staff began fussing over him, making certain he had no permanent injury from his actions or his apparent blackout. Kim took the opportunity to slip into the bathroom for a quick shower and change of clothes. The battle suit was packed away. She emerged wearing her normal mission outfit.

As soon as the medics finished, Ron also took the opportunity to clean up. Unfortunately he and his pants became separated at some point during their rescue. He came out of the bathroom wearing his mission shirt and a towel, causing Kim to giggle. "Sorry, KP, but mystical monkey power doesn't change some things. Do you suppose you could find me some pants?"

"I have an extra pair in my backpack," Kim replied.

"Thanks a lot KP, but there's no way I'm getting into your pants."

Kim could not pass up the opportunity. "Never know unless you try, sweetie," she replied in a sensual voice, fluttering her eyes at him.

Inside the Stoppable fortress of obliviousness, Kim's comment wandered around briefly before finding a part of his brain able to process it. Unfortunately that same part of his brain then caused him to blush and babble incoherently.

Failing in her attempt to hide her amusement, Kim left the room. Two Global Justice agents were seated in the waiting area in case the teens needed anything. Kim explained her partner's plight. After a brief discussion, one of the agents set out to find Ron some pants. "And maybe some suspenders?" he asked, chuckling as he left.

Around noon the doctors finally pronounced the two teens healthy enough to leave. The GJ agents took them to the airport and helped them into the terminal. A sleek corporate jet with no markings other than a tail number had just touched down and was taxiing toward the general aviation terminal where Kim and Ron waited. "That's your ride," Agent Robbins told them.

As soon as the engines stopped, a tank truck moved to the far side of the plane to begin refueling operations. The door opened, extending the ladder to the tarmac. One of the pilots emerged, followed by a familiar figure.


	4. Chapter 4  Questions and Answers

Disclaimer: Nope, don't own any of the KP characters from the series. They belong to Disney. A few of the bit players are mine. This epic, along with the rest of my writing career is, unfortunately, a non-profit operation.

**Chapter 4 - Questions and Answers**

The plane now landing began its journey nearly 12 hours earlier at a private airport in northern Japan. A few hours prior to takeoff, the Sensei of Yamanouchi School summoned his chosen successor to his quarters. When she arrived, he began, "Yori-chan, earlier today the Lotus Blade disappeared for a short time, then returned. I believe the Chosen One called it and I believe this is the sign we have awaited.

Go to him, find how the blade came to him and what use he made of it. Possible-san is with him. You must speak with her as well, earn her trust, and find out what she knows of the battle. I know this may be difficult for you, but it must happen if we are to help Stoppable-san achieve his destiny."

"I have accepted the truth of his destiny and mine. What you wish will be done, Sensei," Yori replied. "It shall be my honor." The young ninja bowed to her mentor, and then hurried to her quarters to pack for the trip. As she packed, memories of the not too distant past crept unbidden into her mind.

_Monkey Fist had disappeared over the bridge, followed by DNAmy. Yori struggled to maintain her composure. Why did SHE have to come? This was supposed to be her chance to convince the Chosen One to return to Yamanouchi. But SHE had to spoil it all. _

"_So what's the deal with you and Stoppable-san?" her red haired rival asked._

"_A bond of honor," she replied. She gave Ron a quick peck on the cheek when part of her yearned for much more_. _Then she followed Sensei up the ladder to the helicopter that would take them back to Japan. _

_Looking down as the helicopter departed, she watched Kim put her arm around Ron's shoulder as they began their trek across the bridge. She tried to choke back her tears, but could not. "Why, Grandfather?" she asked Sensei. "She can not be the one of the prophecy. She does not see him as a warrior. She treats him as a fool. She is not worthy of him. Why can he not see?"_

_"But he does see, Yori-kun," Sensei replied. "He is her strength much as you wish to be his. She, in turn is his inspiration. This is something I did not realize until I saw them together. There is a bond between them, which I believe began when they were very young. I must consult the ancient texts when we return to Yamanouchi. I believe my reading of the prophecy may have been incorrect. I am most sorry because my error has caused you pain."_

Yori forced the memory from her consciousness. It was a great disappointment when after weeks of research Sensei told her what he now believed to be the true meaning of the prophecy heralding the return of the Chosen One. Such was destiny, and one must accept destiny.

Once she had everything ready for her trip, she told Sensei she was leaving then took the back way out, down the elevator to where a car waited to take her to the airfield.

KPKPKPKPKPKPKP

Yori descended from the plane wearing a formal kimono, something neither teen had seen during their previous encounters. As Ron approached, she bowed more deeply than normal. "Greetings, Stoppable-sama. I have been given the honor of escorting you and Possible-san back to Middleton."

"Hey, Yori, good to see you. Sensei sent you? Ron asked.

"_Hai. _Sensei wishes to know the details of your recent battle," she replied. "You, I and Possible-san will discuss that and other things during the flight to Middleton."

"Four goons is hardly a battle," Ron laughed.

"But you called the Lotus Blade. Sensei wishes to know what happened," Yori responded.

Despite several missions together, Kim still felt uncomfortable with the attention Ron paid Yori. 'I am so not jealous,' she told herself, as she interrupted saying, "Excuse me, but I could use a little help getting on the plane." Ron turned to her and smiled, then picked her up and carried her up the steps to the plane. Yori followed. The three sat at one of the tables sharing lunch while the plane was prepared for takeoff. They had just finished eating when the pilots return and began their preflight checks. Moments later they were on the way to Middleton.

Once the jet was in the air, Yori took a seat opposite Ron and asked about his actions and the use of the blade. "Honestly, I have no idea how the blade got there," he replied. "We were outnumbered and couldn't escape. We had nothing but our wits and skills to defend ourselves from Dementor's men. Part of me knew we were going down, but I had to protect Kim and the fusion generator. There was a weird feeling of power, just like the first time I held the blade, and then it was in my hand." Ron went on to detail everything he remembered until he woke in the hospital.

Yori asked a few questions. When they finished, Ron leaned his seat back and was soon sound asleep. Kim realized she had not taken her eyes off the two during the entire conversation. Despite Yori proving herself a valuable ally on several occasions, she was not pleased that the young ninja girl would be with them all the way to Middleton. 'Strange,' she thought to herself. 'I trust this girl with my life, why not around my boyfriend.'

Moving to the seat next to Kim Yori began, "Possible-san, there are things I must tell you and things I must learn from you."

"Whatever," Kim responded, bowing to the inevitable.

Sensing Kim's discomfort, Yori spoke, "You and I travel different roads, but our paths will cross many times. It would be better if we could meet as friends. My presence makes you uncomfortable, but it should not. You have your destiny, I have mine"

"So where do you fit in all this? And why is Ron now Stoppable-sama?" Kim asked, relaxing a little.

"To answer your second question first, he is the Chosen One. By calling the Lotus Blade to serve him in battle he has become first among the Yamanouchi ninja. When speaking of him one must show proper respect. To the second question, it is the destiny of our clan to serve and support him so that the prophecy may be fulfilled. Beyond that he and I share the bond of honor that exists between all Yamanouchi ninjas. And he is a friend."

"Which prophecy? There seem to be so many," Kim inquired with a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

"This prophecy speaks of the one who shall again command the mystical monkey power. When Sensei first learned of Stoppable-sama's exposure to the power he was skeptical. The exchange program was arranged to bring him to Yamanouchi to determine if he was indeed the one mentioned in the prophecy. When the Lotus Blade responded to him, Sensei knew at least part of the prophecy was true."

"Go on," Kim interjected.

"At the time the mystical monkey power was captured in the four statues, it was written, "Only when the world faces grave danger shall the statues surrender their power. In a time of great peril a Child of the Dragon and the Heir of Toshimiru together shall wield the power of light in a great battle against darkness." Stoppable-sama was born in 1988, the year of the Dragon. Sensei and I are among the few known descendants of Toshimiru."

"So the prophecy puts you and Ron together?" Kim asked, trying to remain calm.

Despite herself, Yori found she was enjoying how the idea tweaked Kim. A small frown crossed her lips as she continued, "so Sensei first believed. After seeing the two of you together, he began to have doubts. Following the unfortunate affair with Monkey Fist and DNAmy, Sensei went deeper into the history of our family. He discovered that a young woman of our line married a Dutch merchant in Nagasaki during the early days of the isolation. They had a son and a daughter together. When it became necessary for the merchant to return home, his wife could not bear to leave Japan. She told her husband show their son the world of his fathers. She would wait in Nagasaki with their daughter for their return.

On the voyage home the father was taken ill and died. When the ship reached Holland, the son found himself alone and an outcast because of his mixed blood. He stayed in Rotterdam long enough to settle his father's affairs then set out for New Amsterdam to seek his fortune. He became a successful merchant like his father, married and raised a family. Eventually one of his descendants met and married Stoppable-sama's father."

"So that makes Ron an heir of Toshimiru. But it doesn't take you out of the picture. All three of us were born in 1988."

"_Hai_, but I was born in early January, in the year of the Hare. Possible-san, you are the Child of the Dragon mentioned in the prophecy. The one who will become the consort of the Chosen One. It is your destiny."

"And if I don't believe in destiny?" Kim asked, raising an eyebrow.

"You could always refuse. There may be others willing to accept the honor," Yori replied. As Kim glared at her a small smile crossed her lips as she added, "Hirotaka has spoken of one named Bonnie…."

"So not going to happen. He's mine, thank you very much."

Yori shook her head, continuing, "When I first told you of Stoppable-sama's great service to the Yamanouchi School you were skeptical. He appears to fear many things, but fear does not keep him from the battle. Until now although he possesses mystical monkey power he has made little use of it. When asked, he will laugh and tell you 'it comes and goes,' but it is always there, waiting until he needs it. The Lotus Blade amplifies and focuses the power of its' master but it is only a tool. The Chosen One first carried the blade to defeat Monkey Fist and return the blade to Yamanouchi, where it laid waiting until yesterday when he claimed its power. I am here because Sensei wishes to know exactly what happened up on that mountain. Please tell me everything you remember from yesterday."

Kim described the entire ordeal, ending with the arrival of the rescue team, including the ways Ron and Rufus used the blade. "This is the weird part," she continued. "I woke up on the ledge and it was like I could hear Ron telling me he was coming and everything would be OK. And I caught hints of what he was doing along the way. Then, at the shelter, it was like he came into my head and told me what to do. When it was over and he collapsed, something was suddenly missing. I felt completely alone."

"This has happened before?" Yori asked.

"Not that I noticed," Kim replied. "But now that I think about it, sometimes on a mission, when Ron and I are separated, it's like I know what he's doing, even when I can't see him. And when we work together, sometimes I know what he's going to do before he does it. I figured that was no big, just part of working together so long. But there's one really weird thing. He calls it his 'Kim sense.' If we are anywhere close to each other, he says he can feel my presence. One Saturday I blindfolded Ron and he sat in my living room. I moved around the house and the yard. Whenever I stopped, Wade signaled him. Every time he knew exactly where I was and what I was doing. There have also been shared dreams."

"Sensei can tell you more than I. Legends speak of a special bond between warriors," Yori told her. "It happens on rare occasions between warriors who together face great dangers. When they share a common cause, there is a joining of their chi force, making them together greater than each could be alone."

"Another part of my destiny?" Kim asked.

"Perhaps. Legend says that once formed, the bond will be broken only by death, unless one of the warriors renounces the ideals for which they fight," Yori replied. Then, rising, she said, "Please excuse me, I must contact Sensei," then went to the front of the plane.

Kim moved to the seat next to Ron. Turning toward him, she watched as he slept. Idly, she let her fingers wander over his body. She found her conversation with Yori unnerving and yet at the same time exciting. Kim had yet to think of her life beyond college, but forces beyond her control had seemingly already done so. Her ego bristled, but a nagging little voice in the back of her brain kept saying "told you so." Save it for later, she told herself as she raised the armrest that kept them apart, resting her head on his chest. He stirred and shifted slightly, placing an arm around her, and then his breathing resumed the slow rhythm of sleep. She too fell asleep.

After contacting Sensei, Yori returned to the cabin and paused, looking at Kim and Ron. A feeling pushed to the back of her mind came forward and she sighed, wishing she were the one seated next to Ron. She silently asked her ancestors to help Kim realize the strength and courage of the man who had pledged himself to her.

The three passengers slept most of the way to Middleton, waking as the plane passed over the Mississippi River. They gathered around the table again for a snack while Yori told her companions of Sensei's message.

"Sensei asks that both of you come to Yamanouchi after your school year ends. He also asked me to remain in Middleton to prepare you for your time at the school. He will send the necessary equipment for your training next week."

"Where will you stay?" Kim asked.

"Mom and Dad won't mind if she stays in our guest room," Ron began, then looking at Kim's darkening glare continued, "or not."

Kim picked up the on board phone, and after a brief conversation with her mother told Yori, "you can stay with me. Think of it as one big girl's night out. Besides, Ron and I usually train in our garage or in the yard."

Yori smiled at the interaction between the two teens and quickly accepted Kim's offer.

The word of Kim's injury spread quickly through the villain community. Even as the three young warriors planned their training regimen others planned to disrupt it.

A/N: Asian Zodiac references are based on the premise that Kim and Ron were 14 in 2002 when the series first aired.


	5. Chapter 5  The Yori Factor

Disclaimer: Nope, don't own any of the KP characters from the series. They belong to Disney. A few of the bit players are mine. This epic, along with the rest of my writing career is, unfortunately, a non-profit operation.

**Chapter 5 – The Yori Factor**

Kim's mom was waiting at the airport when the three arrived. Yori was introduced as a friend from Japan who had helped on missions in the past. She would stay in Middleton to back up Ron until Kim recovered. Yori's things were quickly transferred to the Possible mini-van. Ron helped Kim down from the plane and at her mother's insistence put her in the front seat of the van. Ann Possible realized there was more to this situation than Kim was letting on. Seeing the scowl on her daughter's face she asked, " is your leg bothering you? I have some pain killers with me if you need them."

Kim merely looked at her mother and shook her head. Being always the gentleman, Ron helped Yori into the middle seat of the van, and then climbed in beside her. Throughout the 20-minute ride home, Kim found herself constantly glancing in the mirror wondering what was going on behind her. Nothing, it seemed, but a discussion of their plans for training.

When they reached the Possible house, Ron helped Yori move her things into the guest room. Kim and her mom were in the kitchen, her mom fixing breakfast for the travelers and Kim staring at a cup of coffee with an intensity that could make it boil.

"You still haven't said what's bothering you Kimmie," her mom remarked.

"Just things, Mom. The mission, my leg, Ron maybe getting hurt, Yo…" she replied, trying to stop herself before her mom realized what was really troubling her.

"Yori is bothering you? I thought she was just someone you and Ron work with occasionally."

"Well, yeah, but, I guess it's just 'cause she knows Ron better than she knows me. It's nothing Mom."

"I might be jealous if your father had a friend like that," her Mom replied.

"I am not jealous, Mom. Just upset. With this leg I can't do anything."

Ann Possible shook her head. She knew the signs. No wonder her daughter had almost begged to have the Japanese girl stay with them. Something she remembered from an old movie popped into her head. But then again, this Yori wasn't her daughter's enemy, only a rival. One who had little chance unless she had seriously misjudged her daughter's boyfriend. But then, her daughter had always been a little dense when it came to Ron.

KPKPKPKPKPKP

For the first few weeks the routine was the same. During the day Yori spent time with three-year-old Hana, teaching her to channel her energy into a series of dance like moves. For most Yamanouchi students training began at an early age. For Hana it could not begin soon enough. Luck played a large role in her part of the victory over Yono and Monkey Fist. Without a doubt they would meet again. Yori hoped she had enough time to prepare the child. Between Kim, Ron and her youngest charge she would have a busy couple of months before returning home.

Throughout the world of villainy plots and schemes previously laid aside for fear of Possible interference were quickly dusted off. Global Justice managed to handle most of them until a serious villain surfaced in Central America. Kim, Ron and Yori were sitting around the Possible table with sandwiches and drinks after their afternoon training when the call came. Shego was in Mexico City where she was observed casing the national museum. Ron said he would take the mission solo, but Kim was having none of that insisting Shego was too dangerous while assuring him she was well enough to go along. Yori volunteered to go along as backup. They were about to leave when Kim's mom came home, telling her as only a mother can that for Kim the mission was scrubbed. She growled in frustration, heading up to her room as Global Justice picked up Ron and Yori.

KPKPKPKPKPKPKP

Ron and Yori arrived in Mexico City, heading directly to the museum to meet with the curator. The curator assured them his security systems were top of the line. Surely this Shego person could not get past them. Ron began a quick summary of Shego's past thefts. He had hardly gotten started when the curator quickly changed his mind, welcoming them with open arms. Giving them a quick tour of the facility, he pointed out all the alarm and security features to prevent accidental alarms. Ron and Yori left for a quick meal, returning just before the museum closed for the night.

The museum was hosting a traveling exhibit of Egyptian artifacts, with a number of valuable pieces of jewelry and small gold items. Since it was Shego, and knowing the state of Drakken's finances, Ron and Yori secreted themselves with the Egyptian exhibit. The evening remained quiet until shortly after midnight when alarms sounded. There was an intruder in the building, but not yet in the Egyptian exhibit area. Ron and Yori held their positions until the kimmunicator vibrated against Ron's leg.

Ron pulled the device from his pocket and keyed it asking, "What's up Wade?"

"You're in the wrong place," came the response. "Shego is at the other end of the building in the Native American exhibit area."

The two teens raced to the other end of the building. Yori held back, allowing Ron to take the lead. "Give it up, Shego," Ron called as they approached. Surprised, Shego turned to face them.

"Oh great. The buffoon and who? Rent a ninja?" Shego replied. "Just about done here anyhow so I'll just be on my way." Reaching into the broken display case, she removed what appeared to be a pendent on a leather thong, grinning at the two crime fighters.

Yori looked at Ron, her glance clearly telling him, "she's mine." Ron nodded and Yori leaped forward, fans in hand to face the green woman.

"So Little Miss Ninja wants the honor of defeating the great Shego," the green villainess snarked. "Not gonna happen, but let's see what you have, little girl. Bring it."

"No honor comes from defeating one who is without honor," Yori exclaimed as she charged.

Taken off guard by Yori's sudden attack, Shego fell back and begin to defend herself, dropping the item in her hand. She found Yori a formidable opponent although more predictable than Kim. While the battle raged, Rufus leaped from Ron's pocket and scurried to retrieve the fallen artifact. Seeing the pink blur dashing across the floor dragging her prize, Shego sent a plasma bolt after the little guy. Rufus dodged and a moment later was safely back in Ron's pocket. Yori moved quickly to place herself between Ron and Shego. When the next plasma bolt came, she surprised the green woman by repelling it with her fan.

"Interesting toys, Princess, but they won't change anything. Got something else?"

Yori seized the opportunity to move in quickly attempting to subdue her opponent. Shego sidestepped the attack and with a quick spin caught the ninja from behind, sending her to the floor. Yori rose quickly, resuming her fighting stance. This time Shego moved in, sending plasma bolts at the floor at the ninja's feet. Yori moved quickly to avoid the blasts. When they stopped she seized the offensive, delivering a swift kick to Shego's mid section causing the villainess to fall back.

While Shego and Yori continued to fight, Ron tried to maneuver himself behind the villainess. From past experience, Ron knew she was moving toward her planned escape route. Then he saw the ladder dangling through the broken skylight. He attempted to get between Shego and the ladder, only to have her spin around and knock his feet from under him. Ron attempted to flip back to his feet, stumbled, and found himself entangled in a display of fishing nets that had heen behind him.

Still dodging Yori, Shego had finally maneuvered herself under the broken skylight. Grasping the ladder dangling from her waiting hover car, she reached into her pouch, withdrew a remote control, and signaled the craft to pull her up. "Tell the old man I'm still better than his best," Shego called as she disappeared through the skylight.

Shaking her head, Yori said, "perhaps we should train on recovery and balance when we return to Middleton." Then she helped Ron out of the nets. Ron waited for the familiar ripping noise that, thankfully, never came. Then they rushed to the case Shego had broken. Neither could read Spanish, but Ron was pretty certain he knew what at least a couple of the words meant. He chose not to concentrate on the possibilities. From the pattern of discoloration on the bottom of the case it was clear the article Rufus retrieved was one of several that had been in the display. Shego had the rest.

As they waited for the museum curator, Ron asked, "What did Shego mean by that last comment?"

"We have met before. Young girls are sometimes fooled by those pretending to be heroes. Let us not speak of it."

"Ummm, yeah, well if you ever want to talk about it…." Yori shook her head ending the conversation.

Half an hour later, they were with the museum curator in his office going over the exhibit inventory to determine what was missing. The source and nature of the items confirmed Ron's suspicions. Delving deeper into the secrets of the missing artifacts, the two teens knew they must get the information into proper hands as soon as possible. There would be a slight detour on their return to Middleton. Ron keyed the kimmunicator, informing Wade they had several details to clean up and would not be back until the next day. He tried to reach Kim, but she did not answer.

KPKPKPKPKPKP

Meanwhile back in Middleton, Kim grew tired of sitting at home, waiting. She and Monique had the late shift, so she called and arranged to meet at the mall before work for a quick bite and some girl talk. Both girls bought salads from the food court then found a table.

"So why the long face girlfriend?" Monique asked after they were seated. "Trouble in paradise?"

"Noo, not really, well, maybe, I dunno," Kim babbled in response. "It's just Yori. Here I am laid up and she's right there to step up and go with Ron. They left yesterday and were supposed to be back this morning but they're not back yet. It was Shego, so I know he needed the backup, but still…."

"Still jellin over the ninja girl?" Monique asked, smirking,

"Not jellin, really. I mean I trust Ron. It's just not right her dragging my boyfriend around the world."

Shaking her head, Monique replied, "Girl, QYW. That boy of yours wouldn't even think of doing anything. She could crawl in bed naked with him and he'd roll over and take a nap."

'How well I know,' Kim thought to herself. "You're right, Mo. I'm getting myself all worked up over nothing. What's playing at the theatre? I'm up for a movie tonight." 'At least then I'm not home wondering what Ron and Yori are up to' she thought as the girls headed for Club Banana.

KPKPKPKPKP

After completing paperwork for loan of the remaining artifact and making copies of all available information on the missing items, Ron and Yori headed for the Mexico City airport where they were met by the white Yamanouchi jet. Having been up all night, the two heroes slept through the entire trip. Sensei met the plane when it landed and, after a brief conference, took the remaining artifact and the curator's information with him. The jet was soon airborne on its' way back to Middleton.

"So is this like a secret ninja jet or something?" Ron asked Yori as the plane lifted off.

"It belongs to one of many organizations assisted by the Yamanouchi ninja," she replied. "It is at our disposal should the need arise."

"So KP and I don't have to beg for rides anymore?"

"More American style humor?" his companion asked. "For now your place among the Yamanouchi ninja must remain secret."

"Awww mann," Ron exclaimed. "Rufus is gonna be so bummed. He was just getting used to first class."

Yori could only shake her head and smile.

KPKPKPKPKP

Shego's hover car landed in a secluded patch of forest in rural Thailand. She shed her trademark costume in favor of the casual clothing of a tourist, complete with backpack. Making her way to a small town nearby she was able to blend in with a tour group returning to Bangkok. As the bus got under way, an elderly lady made her way down the aisle passing out box lunches. She looked at Shego, then at the list on her clipboard. "You must be a late addition," she remarked. "I don't have a box lunch for you." Shego waved her on her way, and leaned back in the seat for a nap as the bus bounced its way through the Thai countryside.

That evening, she made her way to the restaurant of a small hotel in Bangkok. Giving the name of her contact, she was led to a private dining room. A distinguished looking man of short stature, probably in his early fifties, stood as she entered the room and motioned her toward a chair. Once seated, she reached into her backpack, withdrawing several items and placing them on the table. The man took what appeared to be an archeologist's journal from his briefcase and opened it. Comparing each item to drawings, he nodded, and then looked at the woman across from him. "One is missing," he said.

"I was interrupted. Happens occasionally in my line of work."

"No matter, it was just for insurance." Then he handed Shego a thick envelope that she immediately put into a belt pouch.

"A pleasure doing business with you," Shego said as she rose to leave. "If you need me again, you know how to reach me." The man nodded as she turned and left the room.

The man relaxed and ordered dinner, giving himself plenty of time to be certain no one had observed his meeting. After finishing his meal, he casually left the restaurant taking the long way back to his own hotel, stopping frequently to look at the wares of various street vendors while watching for surveillance. He was no novice, having spent years in the shadows of the game until circumstances forced him to enter the main arena.

As he walked, various options played out in his mind. He silently cursed the fate that placed him in such an awkward situation. He had received specific instructions for the actions he was about to take. Six generations of loyalty and service demanded he comply. Now he found himself preparing to face things he could barely imagine. But he must. It was his duty.

Returning to his hotel, he went directly to his room. Removing his suit and shirt, he brushed them and hung them in the wardrobe, then shined his shoes before setting them aside. Normally in such circumstances he would have other duties before retiring, but tonight he went directly to bed. The first of his tasks would begin in the morning.


	6. Chapter 6 Man on a Mission

Disclaimer: Nope, don't own any of the KP characters from the series. They belong to Disney. A few of the bit players are mine. This epic, along with the rest of my writing career is, unfortunately, a non-profit operation.

**Chapter 6 – A Man on a Mission**

Sensei immediately recognized the nature of the artifacts stolen from Mexico City. They were nearly exact replicas of charms used by priests of Hanuman. Some were said to give the priests power over the various species of monkey. Others were used in rituals to contain or destroy evil in all its' many forms. He quickly assembled some of the foremost experts on the cults of Hanuman in an attempt to discern the exact nature of each relic.

What he found most puzzling was the thief. He knew of only one person who would be interested in these items, Monkey Fist. No threat from that quarter as the mutated English lord was currently imprisoned inside a statue as a result of his failed attempt to tap the power of Yono. So what did Shego want with the charms? Had she somehow learned of the Yono and intended to claim its' power herself? Sensei shuddered.

KPKPKPKPKPKP

Kim was in a bad mood when she arrived home a little before midnight. The movie had centered around two high school friends who met again just before one's wedding. Long story short, groom fell for friend, left fiancé at the altar. She had no idea what Monique found so humorous in the story. Then, to cap off her perfect day, she found Ron and Yori were still not home, having gone to Japan after their mission in Mexico. Barely speaking to her parents, Kim went to her room, changed into her pajamas, and then climbed into bed and cuddled up with Pandaroo. She tried to sleep but her mind kept wandering out over the Pacific wondering what was keeping a certain aircraft. Finally she drifted into fitful sleep.

It was still dark when Kim awoke and looked at the clock. It was just after three in the morning. She thought she heard noises coming from the living room. Grabbing her kimmunicator in case she needed to call for help, she moved slowly and silently down the stairs. She heard giggling, followed by several moans. Looking around the corner from the kitchen, she saw Yori, all of Yori. She was leaning back on the couch with her arms spread along the back of the cushions and a strange smile on her face. And Ron…. He was down… She covered her eyes and shook her head, trying to erase the image. He had never done that for her. She opened her mouth to scream…

Kim sat up in her bed screaming, looking around the room for her errant boyfriend and his companion. Before she could separate dream from reality in her mind, Yori burst into the room staff at the ready.

"Where is the intruder, Kim-san," the ninja asked.

"There is no intruder, just a really bad dream. If you like, you may borrow my robe." Kim replied, gesturing toward the closet

"Sorry, I am not used to American style modesty," Yori remarked, grinning. "I did not think an intruder would wait while I dressed."

It was nearly five o'clock. Not much point in going back to bed, even if she were sure there would be no more disturbing dreams. With the image of Yori ready for battle burned into her mind she wouldn't bet on the absence of dreams. "How about we go downstairs for an early cup of coffee and some girl talk," Kim asked.

When they reached the kitchen Kim made coffee, one of the few tasks she was allowed in the kitchen. Yori opted for tea, filling the kettle and placing it on the stove. Yori told Kim how the mission had gone, including what they discovered about the stolen charms. Then she asked, "Is he always clumsy on missions?"

"Why, what happened?" Kim asked.

"He tried to block Shego's escape, but instead tangled himself in some fish nets while she got away."

"What you see is what you get," Kim replied, chuckling. She then went on to relate a few of Ron's more embarrassing moments from their adventures.

"Sometimes he seems so focused. He played one fight game almost all the way home. When I tried to talk, he said he was busy bashing zombies. He used all kinds of weapons and defeated so many zombies. I have seen the same skills in battle, yet last night in the museum they deserted him."

"There are no cheat codes for real life," Kim replied. Yori raised an eyebrow, questioning. "Ron studies that stupid game. He has every magazine article ever written about it and knows all the tricks to get past the obstacles. He just isn't as serious about real life. He does step up on occasion but only when there is no other option."

Yori nodded in understanding. "So all the time on the plane he just played Zombie Mayhem?" Kim asked.

"When he was not asleep or eating," Yori replied.

'YES' a small voice screamed in Kim's head.

Ann Possible entered the kitchen in time to hear Yori's last remark. Seeing Yori in Kim's robe she raised an eyebrow, looking carefully at both girls. "Kimmie, you and Yori best get upstairs and get dressed before Dad comes down."

KPKPKPKPKPKP

While Team Possible waited in Middleton, Wade busily searched for traces of their nemesis. He had followed her trail to Thailand, but lost her. Yori was anxious to continue pursuit, urging that she and Ron leave immediately for Thailand. Ron wanted to stay in Middleton until they had better information.

"How can we hope to find Shego if we do not go where we last located her?" Yori asked incredulously. "The longer we wait, the less chance we will find signs of her visit. One must always pursue an escaping enemy before signs of his flight fade."

"Yeah, well, KP and me do things a little differently," Ron replied. "See, Wade has the world wired. There's not much goes on he can't find out about. She uses any of her credit cards, or powers up, or makes a phone call, Wade's gonna see it. Then we go where she is instead of where she was."

"So what does this mean, Wade has the world wired?" Yori asked. Now she was curious. Sensei followed the old ways, teaching her to rely almost entirely on human intelligence. Other than communications devices and transportation, there were few concessions to the modern world at Yamanouchi. Perhaps there was something here she needed to learn.

Ron keyed his kimmunicator. When Wade responded, he replied "Got a young lady here wants to learn all about what our resident genius does." A quick look at Yori and Team Possible's tech guru was ready to tell her whatever she wanted to know. It was decided she would visit him next week for a full tour.

Kim watched from the sidelines. Something still made her uncomfortable, but she just could not put her finger on it. She put her thoughts aside as the trio headed to the garage to begin their daily workout.

Half way through their training, the kimmunicator beeped. "What's the sitch," Kim asked, taking the call.

"I've detected a power up at Drakken's Caribbean lair. Nothing major but you should probably check it out. Could be where Shego went."

"Thanks, Wade. Set up the ride."

"How many?"

Kim glared. "Just two. Dr. Mom left specific orders."

Moments later, Ron and Yori were off. Kim decided to continue her training. Yori had been instructing them in use of the staff for close combat. For the next half hour Kim aggressively explored the manner in which it could be used to devastate an opponent. Then she went inside, sat at her computer and ordered two new practice dummies.

KPKPKPKPKPKP

Two parachutes opened above the Caribbean lair. The absence of trees allowed both crime fighters to land without incident. Ron quickly located a familiar grate allowing access to the ventilation ducts.

"Is it always this easy?" Yori asked.

"Pretty much. Wade takes care of any alarms. It's not like me and KP need mad ninja skills to get into these places." Ron replied, causing Yori to giggle slightly, then gesturing for silence as she followed Ron through the duct. They reached the main room of the lair where they saw Shego relaxing with a magazine while the television blared in the background. Dropping into the lair, Ron managed to catch his pants on the grate, lose his balance and fall noisily to the floor. Yori followed silently, but the element of surprise was gone. Ron stood, restoring his cargos to their normal position as the villainess looked in their direction. Yori discretely hid her smile.

"Must be my lucky day," Shego said, greeting her two visitors. "I get a personal visit from the clown prince and his ninja princess. Kimmie must be crushed by the new partnership."

"Forget the lip, Shego. We're here for the stuff you stole in Mexico. Hand it over. Your ride back to Cell Block D should be here shortly," Ron replied.

"Don't have them. Don't know where they are. Did my job and got paid. End of story. Cell Block D is not on today's to do list, but if you still wanna hang around, I haven't had my workout yet. Which one of you wants to be first practice dummy?" After a quick glance at each other, the two crime fighters moved in on Shego.

Yori attacked first, exchanging a rapid series of blows with the green villainess. As soon as she fell back, Ron moved in, doing his usual clumsy moves to throw Shego off her timing. Shego drove him back, forcing him to dodge plasma blasts as Yori moved in again. Catching the ninja slightly off guard she flipped her across the room. "Not bad, little girl, but not in my league. Why don't you go back to school and learn how the big girls fight?"

Ron moved in again keeping her busy while Yori recovered. He landed several good blows while avoiding both fists and plasma. Shego fell back and looked him in the eye. "You two make a pretty good team, Stoppable. Maybe you should dump your sorry excuse for a girlfriend and go into business with baby-san over there."

To her detriment, Shego failed to notice the hardening of Ron's expression and the color of his eyes. "Not." Ron exclaimed as he delivered a quick blow to Shego's belly, knocking the wind out of her. "Gonna," as he hooked a leg behind her, taking her down hard "Happen," as he stood over her fallen form. Startled by his swift takedown, Shego looked up into a face she had not seen since that memorable evening at Bueno Nacho, and then passed out.

What Shego missed, Yori had seen. Once Ron had the special plasma resistant handcuffs in place she threw a bucket of water on their foe. Shego awoke, sputtering. Yori stood over her, a carefully guarded smile of satisfaction on her lips. "What was it you wished me to tell Sensei?" she asked. There was no response from the prisoner.

"Now about those charms," Ron began

"Weren't you listening earlier? Don't have them. Don't know where they are. Did my job and got paid. End of story."

"So who has them?"

"I never discuss my clients." Shego responded as a Global Justice recovery team entered the lair.

"Mexico wants her this time," Ron explained to the team leader as Shego was led out of the lair. "But take her back to Cell Block D. Even she doesn't deserve to do time in Mexico."

Leaving the lair he looked at Yori and remarked, "well that was fun." Her glare was her answer. She didn't speak until they were on board the GJ transport in route to Middleton. Then it was with barely restrained anger.

"The charms are in Thailand," Yori stated. "We should have gone there first. We have lost valuable time. Now we must go there and recover them."

"How were we supposed to know Shego didn't still have them?" Ron responded.

"Because she is _ronin_ and without honor. She has no respect for the ancient ways. She would not seek to use the power of the charms herself. The only reason she would steal the charms would be to sell them," Yori replied. "_Warawa gozen baka! _I should have known."

"Chill out. We'll find them," Ron said, activating the kimmunicator. When Wade appeared he began to explain, "Shego was hired to steal the charms and already made delivery, apparently in Thailand. See if you can find out where she went and who she met."

"On it," Wade replied. "You are coming right home this time? Kim was really tweaked after Mexico City."

"No detours planned this time, buddy. Tell Kim we should be back in a couple hours," Ron responded, closing the channel and putting the kimmunicator into his pocket.

"We must act quickly," Yori urged. "In the hands of one who knows their power those charms are very dangerous. I will alert Sensei. Perhaps Yamanouchi graduates there can provide information." Yori left Ron and moved off alone.

KPKPKPKPKPKP

While Team Possible and the experts at Yamanouchi were trying respectively to locate Shego and determine her intentions for the stolen artifacts, Nigel Bates was in his luxury suite atop one the Bangkok Tipton preparing for his day's activities. He was wearing the traditional khaki shorts, shirt and pith helmet of a British explorer. While his years in the service of Lord Montgomery Fiske had never put him in a situation such as he faced today, he felt ready. He had been involved in enough of His Lordship's adventures and misadventures to know how to properly prepare.

From his service as His Lordship's secretary, Bates was second only to Fiske himself in his knowledge of the various monkey cults, legends and artifacts. When Fiske set out on his most recent quest, he did so after carefully researching the legends concerning a power known as the Yono, paying particular attention to the writings of the priests of Hanuman regarding containment of the power. His detailed findings were contained in a journal that he left with Bates along with specific instructions on actions to be taken in the event he failed to return.

It had taken Bates several months to locate the things he needed and assemble them in one place. Using his position as secretary to Lord Fiske he gained access to items in museums throughout the world. When he was allowed to copy documents, he did so. Others he replaced with counterfeits or blank scrolls. Using contacts at the British Museum he attempted to secure the loan of the last artifacts he needed from the Mexico's national museum. When that failed, he secured the services of a certain mercenary thief to acquire them.

He supervised the loading of his equipment and provisions into an older model Land Rover, then after giving instructions to the driver on their destination, set out into the Thai jungle in route to Cambodia. His first task, locate Fiske's legion of monkey ninjas.


	7. Chapter 7 A Few Steps Behind

Disclaimer: Nope, don't own any of the KP characters from the series. They belong to Disney. A few of the bit players are mine. This epic, along with the rest of my writing career is, unfortunately, a non-profit operation.

**Chapter 7 – A Few Steps Behind**

Nearly a week had passed since Shego's apprehension in the Caribbean lair. Wade had yet to come up with anything on her activities in Thailand. Several teams from Yamanouchi were in Bangkok searching for leads but coming up empty.

That evening in a Bangkok restaurant, a Yamanouchi graduate overheard two Thai sisters talking. The older was telling her sister about the strange little Englishman whose room she had cleaned the previous week. The mention of books in a strange language with drawings of monkeys caught the ninja's attention. When the two women left, he silently followed the elder sister. After spending the night in a tree across from the woman's home, he followed her to the Bangkok Tipton the next morning.

A few discrete inquiries led to discovering that the Tipton penthouse had been rented in the name of Lord Montgomery Fiske, paid for by a letter of credit on His Lordship's London accounts. No one remembered seeing Lord Fiske, but his man Bates was busy about His Lordship's business for nearly a week. Bates had left for Cambodia four days previous. Immediately after receiving this information, Sensei shifted the search to Cambodia. Now he knew who had the charms, and where they were. He still had no solid information concerning what Bates intended to do with them. He passed what information he had to Yori in Middleton.

KPKPKPKPKPKPKP

This was one of the rare occasions when circumstances reminded Wade he was not infallible. The information they needed had been right there but, as Wade detailed in his mission journal, the best data discovery skills (Wade will never admit to being a hacker) fail when the information required falls outside the parameters of any reasonable search. At the time, his comments were somewhat more succinct. "The guy is dead, Kim. Who looks for dead guys in hotels?"

"Not dead, petrified, Wade," Ron said in reply. "KP, Rufus and Sensei escaped that fate, along with several others." A rare insight flashed across the blonde's mind. "Awww man. That's what he's up to. He's gonna try to rescue his boss."

Kim and Yori looked at him, then at each other, and then Kim said, "I suppose that's possible. Monkey spells, monkey charms, so not my thing. Any ideas, Yori?"

"Sensei has the greatest knowledge of the ancient arts," Yori replied. "We must inform him of Stoppable-sama's theory at once. Still, there is nothing we can do until someone finds Bates-san."

"Awww come on, Yori. Enough with the Stoppable-sama. Makes me feel like somebody's grandfather."

"As you wish, Sensei," Yori replied causing Ron to do an impression of banging his head on the wall.

Kim could not resist adding, "remember, Sensei, we must show proper respect for The Chosen One, even if he does still lose his pants on occasion." Ron scowled while both girls laughed.

The kimmunicator beeped again. Wade informed them, "I now have tags on all of Fiske's accounts and known associates. If Bates contacts any of them, we'll know. Sorry about this, guys. I should have guessed it had something to do with Fiske."

"No big, Wade," Kim responded. "Nobody else thought of it either."

KPKPKPKPKPKPKPKP

Kim slipped on her mission clothes ready for practice. It had been two weeks since the doctor told her she could resume cheerleading and her martial arts training. She felt her coordination and strength were back to the level preceding the accident. She and Ron had begun some light sparring with Yori observing and coaching Ron.

Over the past several weeks she and Yori spent several evenings debating Ron's skills. Today, Kim studied him closely as she did her stretches. Ron was practicing in his usual clumsy style, but as she watched, a pattern emerged. 'Yori was right. I've seen those moves before. Monkey Fist's Tai Sheng Pek War - monkey kung fu. He actually looks like he knows what he's doing. Maybe I should amp it up a little today.'

"Hey KP," Ron called when he saw her.

"I see somebody's been practicing," she remarked. "You up for a little challenge?" Ron nodded and she continued, "How about best two out of three, winner gets to have her way with…"

"You believe the winner will be 'she?'" Ron asked, raising an eyebrow. Bowing to his opponent he continued, "It shall be my honor to defeat you and claim my prize," Ron said, then gave her a big Ron-grin. Yori couldn't help but giggle as she listened to the challenge and boasting.

Spirited competition ensued. Ron had watched Kim fight many times, but had only recently begun sparring with her. While Kim had been on the sidelines he had worked with Yori, learning to study his opponents. During the first round he merely defended himself, watching her style and looking for any tells that might give him an idea of her planned attack. Kim spun, kicked and hooked Ron's legs from under him. Round 1 to Kim.

Yori stood off to the side watching the match. Rufus was sitting on her shoulder wondering why his two humans were angry at each other. Glancing at the mole rat Yori whispered "my sushi against your gouda he takes her"

Rufus was nothing if not loyal to Ron, but he had seen too many fights not to take the bet. "Done," he squeaked.

Yori signaled the start of the next match. Ron became more aggressive, forcing Kim to defend. He watched, looking for an opportunity. It came when she went into the same stance she used previously to deliver her winning blow. Ron sidestepped, grabbed the leg and Kim went down. Round 2 to Ron.

As Ron helped Kim to her feet, Yori smiled at Rufus. "Double or nothing?"

Things were no longer certain in Rufus' world. Looking back at the ninja with a scowl on his face he squeaked "no way."

Kim had not anticipated there would even be a round three. Now she was asking herself 'why did I make such a stupid bet? Why not something like loser buys at Bueno Nacho? Oh well, what's done is done. Just don't lose, Possible.' Evil Kim whispered in her ear. 'Oh yeah, that sounds like a plan,' she thought.

Kim went on the offensive, causing Ron to fall back. She concentrated on moves that kept his guard high, then, when she saw an opportunity, she ducked under his guard, wrapped her arms around him and began to tickle. The sparing session quickly degenerated to a tickle fight. The tickle fight ended with Kim straddling Ron, who was crying "Uncle, Uncle, you win KP."

"Told ya the winner would be 'she'," Kim laughed. "Prepare to meet your fate." She leaned forward and kissed him. As Ron's arms wrapped around her, Kim noticed his rising passion, and broke the kiss. Ron looked into her eyes, smiling.

"You cheated. Tickle fu is not a martial art. But I'll let it go this once." Then he pulled her head down and whispered in her ear, "besides, if you like being on top it's OK with me." Kim's face quickly changed to a color matching her hair as she jumped off her partner. Yori raised an eyebrow wondering what Ron had done.

"I am not familiar with that last move," Yori remarked looking at Kim. "What did the Chosen One do to cause you to retreat so quickly?"

"Umm, uhhh, cramp?" Kim replied causing Yori to chuckle.

KPKPKPKPKPKPKP

The Land Rover had pulled into a small clearing. While his driver prepared lunch, he spread a large map on the folding table set up under the canopy. His Lordship had marked the location of the temple where he should find the monkey ninjas. Once there he would test the first of the charms. If it failed, all his efforts to this point would be for naught.

They could take the Land Rover no further. Packing all non-essential equipment into the vehicle, Bates told the driver to conceal it in the trees. While the driver was gone, he placed the first of the charms around his neck, opened the notebook containing the information gathered from the British Museum and began to read aloud. When the driver/porter returned Bates took one final compass reading. The two men set off into the jungle, each carrying a backpack, field rations, and water. The porter also carried a two-man tent and field desk.

His companion believed he was assisting in archeological research on the region's ancient cults. Once they reached their destination, Bates would find a way to keep his companion busy while he, hopefully, completed his first task. Once accomplished, it would take a short trek into the temple itself to complete the second task.

With his companion leading the way, chopping a trail through the dense jungle as necessary, the hike to the temple took most of the afternoon. While they were still some distance from their goal, Bates began to hear the screeches of a large number of monkeys. As he drew nearer, he began to understand the screeching. The monkeys were alerting each other to the intruders, falling back into the jungle to avoid contact. Years spent in the field with Lord Fiske paid off. Bates saw the ninja sentries in the trees and from their chatter deduced where the legion could be found. As he approached he began to call the leader. If the charm worked as the ancient writings described, the leader would understand.

The porter looked at his employer, wondering about the man's sanity. In the middle of the jungle he was calling someone and looked as if he were expecting a reply. The porter shook his head and continued driving their path through the jungle. The man might be crazy, but he paid well.

Bates noticed a small group of monkeys ahead to the left. He stopped, pretending to compare the map with his notes. He pointed off to the right, instructing the porter to continue in that direction until he reached the temple. Once there, he was to set up camp, as they would spend the night. When the porter moved off, Bates headed for the group of monkey ninjas.

When he began training the monkey ninjas, Fiske had given them all names. The alpha of the group he named Montgomery, after the World War II general. Considering His Lordship's respect for the American General Patton, Bates often suspected there was at least some irony in this particular name. Montgomery's screeches came to Bates' ear as intelligible if broken speech.

"_Where Master?"_was the first question.

"He is held captive," was the response.

"_She who was monkey take?"_

"No. One of the dark ones"

"_No fight dark ones."_

"The dark one has gone." Bates produced the golden banana from his pack. "We will go to the temple to consult the monk so we will know how to free the Master."

"_If monk say go, we go. Monk say no we stay."_

"That is all the Master asks. I will meet you there when the light begins to hide behind the trees."

His first task successfully completed, Bates followed the trail cut by his porter to the campsite. It was time for afternoon tea. Later he would seek out the Mystical Monkey Monk to determine how he must proceed. Truth be told, he was somewhat surprised. Despite all the unusual things observed in service of His Lordship, Bates had written most off to coincidence. Until now, he had never believed in the powers Lord Fiske insisted were real.

KPKPKPKPKPKP

However Bates entered Cambodia, he left no trail. After receiving instructions to shift the search, a small group of Yamanouchi ninjas sat around a low table in a private room behind one of Bangkok's many Japanese restaurants going over a map of Cambodia. The location of all known ruins of monkey cult temples was marked, along with an overlay of Monkey Fist sightings beginning with Kim Possible's first contact with the mutant English Lord.

The sites were fairly well disbursed. It was decided to concentrate first on places where Monkey Fist had been seen several times. Three locations claimed this dubious distinction. One ninja would go to each site, with the fourth remaining in Siem Reap to relay information to Sensei and The Chosen One.

With plans completed, they headed to guest rooms above the restaurant to get a good night's rest before their flight to Pochentong Airport outside Phnom Penh where a car and driver would be waiting.

KPKPKPKPKPKP

Back in Middleton, things were not going well, particularly from Kim's point of view. That afternoon when they completed practice, she and Ron had taken Yori to look at Wade's command center. After nearly an hour, Kim and Ron managed to excuse themselves, after Mrs. Load assured them she would be more that happy to give Yori a ride back to the Possible's.

While her leg healed Kim preferred to stay home, which meant evenings with Ron also included Yori. Tonight they made plans to go to Chez Middleton for dinner followed by dancing at a new club in Upperton, followed by other pursuits that might possibly cross their minds. Dessert had not been served when a familiar sound came from Ron's pocket. Ron started to answer, but Kim grabbed the device and keyed it. "This better be good, Wade," she growled at the tech guru.


	8. Chapter 8 Motor Ed Slips Away

Disclaimer: Nope, don't own any of the KP characters from the series. They belong to Disney. A few of the bit players are mine. This epic, along with the rest of my writing career is, unfortunately, a non-profit operation.

**Chapter 8 – Motor Ed Slips Away**

Dessert had not been served when a familiar sound came from Ron's pocket. Ron started to answer, but Kim grabbed the device and keyed it. "This better be good, Wade," she growled at the tech guru.

"This one is classic," Wade replied. Yori stood behind him obviously struggling to control her laughter. "You know the police chief's conference Global Justice is hosting at the Middleton Convention Center?"

"Heard about it," Kim replied, her interest piqued.

"Among the exhibits at the accompanying trade show was the latest in urban police mobility, the Paladin. It's a six wheel armored vehicle with state of the art weapons and defense systems, active camouflage, and a high performance, high efficency engine."

"Was?"

"During a reception in the trade show hall for the top people in Global Justice and a large number of senior police officers from around the country Motor Ed and a couple of his boys made off with it. Seems nobody bothered to lock it or take the keys."

Next to her Ron was laughing as Kim asked, "Since GJ let it get away, why aren't they handling it?"

"It's one of a kind. Landover Engineering, the company that built it called. Seems everything GJ has come up involves destroying the thing. Landover wants it back in one piece."

"We'll see what we can do," Kim replied. "Lets go, Ron."

"Shouldn't we pick up Yori?" he asked.

"No time. Besides this will be a great opportunity for her to see how a mission runs from Wade's end. It's only Motor Ed," Kim replied, pleased she had a plausible excuse not to include the ninja on this mission.

Ron quickly paid the check, then the duo headed out to the Sloth. After a quick change into mission clothes ("Ron, I said turn around!) they were heading for the convention center. Wade came on the screen in the car filling in more details of the theft. "Fortunately all the weapons on board where non functioning models. Unfortunately all the surveillance systems work so it will be hard to sneak up on Motor Ed unless he and his crew leave the vehicle. They were last seen heading toward Lowerton."

Kim and Ron looked at each other "Time share lair," they said in unison.

"Jinx, you owe me a soda," Kim got in first.

It took only a few minutes to reach their destination. Parking the car out of sight, they entered the compound through an underground utility tunnel, emerging behind the buildings. Rufus went up first, looking around to make sure they would not be seen leaving the tunnel. Kim and Ron followed, moving quickly to the shadows behind the building. There wasn't much activity in the compound so they were able to move fairly quickly. They went first to the mailboxes. Sure enough, the name Lipsky was displayed on the box for lair 129. "Figures," Kim whispered. "Same one Drakken uses."

Having been to this particular lair several times, entry was easy. Once inside, they moved around several piles of crates and looked into the lab area of the lair. The Paladin was just sitting there, with Motor Ed relaxing in a chair in front of it. Kim stepped from behind the crates, hands on hips, informing Ed, "You are so busted. Hand over the keys."

"Hey, Red, hoped you'd come by, seriously." Ed replied. "Rumor was you were out of the game and Skinny Dude had a new gig with some Asian babe."

"So not," Kim replied, heading toward the mullet haired mechanic intending to take him down.

Seeing her coming, Ed reached behind his chair for a hose and began spraying oil on the floor in front of Kim. Her attempt at a graceful leap toward him ended in a slip and fall. Coming around the other side of the vehicle, Ron met a similar fate as Ed turned the hose in his direction.

As the two heroes struggled back to their feet Ed headed out the door. Tossing the keys toward Kim he said, "you can have the copmobile. It's totally bogus, seriously. My boys already collected what we came for so we'll be leaving now." He made his exit to the strains of an air guitar solo. Kim attempted to follow; only to lose her footing again in her oil slicked boots.

Activating her kimmunicator, she told Wade. "I need a scan of this vehicle now."

A beam passed over the police vehicle from front to rear then Wade reported, "everything looks normal to me. According to the information from Landover, there doesn't seem to be any damage or anything missing."

"Call Landover to come and get it. And let GJ know Motor Ed got away."

"Gave you the slip?" Wade asked, noticing Kim covered in oil. The sight of Yori laughing over his shoulder compounded her anger. She growled at the sitch and turned off the kimmunicator.

When Ben Holliday, owner Landover Engineering and the Paladin arrived, Kim accepted his thanks while Ron stood in the background as usual. Then the two headed back to the car. Kim was first around the corner. She stopped short causing Ron to bump into her. What remained of her car was sitting on blocks. The note on the windshield read:

_Thanks for all the cool stuff. Hope you have good insurance, seriously. Ed Lipsky_

Ron walked over to the car and opened the hood. Empty. Turning to Kim he remarked, "at least the birds didn't come back."

"So not the time, so not in the mood," she snapped back, then keying the kimmunicator she said, "Wade, we need a ride."

KPKPKPKPKPKPKP

After his encounter with the monkey ninjas, Bates followed the freshly cut trail to a clearing near the temple of the Mystical Monkey Monk where his porter was setting up camp. Bates pitched in to hurry things along, then took his afternoon tea. While the porter began supper, the sun began to dip below the tree line. Bates picked up his camera and a notebook, told the porter he wished to check a few details in the temple, and then set out to meet the Mystical Monkey Monk. Although he had not accompanied His Lordship to this particular site, he did have Fiske's field journal. Underscored several times was the comment "always ask monk to confirm prophecies."

Bates, Montgomery, and several other ninjas entered the temple. Reaching the oracle's chamber, Bates carefully placed the golden banana in the golden stand. Immediately the smiling monk appeared. "Welcome, desciple. You seek to break a curse of Yono the Destroyer, a formidable task. Have you the means?"

"I have these and the ancient texts." Bates held up the charms, and the monk nodded his head.

"The curse shall be broken on the darkest of nights by the charms' magic and the power of one who dances as a monkey."

Bates repeated the prophecy. The monk smiled and nodded. "Can't you be more specific," Bates asked.

"Prophecies are limited to 25 words or less. Some restrictions may apply. Your results may vary," replied the monk before he vanished.

Bates returned to the camp while the monkey ninjas melted into the jungle. After eating and making a show of writing in his journal, he and the porter retired for the evening. Shortly after midnight, Bates awoke, gathered what few items he needed for the next part of the plan, and slipped into the night. He left a note for his porter, telling him to break camp and return to Lord Fiske's agent in Bangkok where he would receive the balance of his payment.

A short distance from the camp, Bates joined the monkey ninjas and they set out for a nearby airfield where Fiske's banana plane sat ready for take off. Once airborne, Bates began reading through His Lordship's notes trying to interpret the prophecy. Having little luck, he took the DVD created from the miniature cameras Fiske had sewn into the uniforms of several monkey ninjas. Although the pictures were not too clear because of the movement of the ninjas during the battle, Bates was able to identify the actions that defeated his employer. Reading the prophecy again he looked more closely at one particular scene on the DVD. The scene tickled his memory and he reached for His Lordship's journal. In the notes of a previous encounter he found what he was looking for. Activating the plane's satellite transceiver he opened his notebook and logged on to Evilweb, the super villain search engine.

KPKPKPKP

It was mid morning when a solitary tourist approached the temple of the Mystical Monkey Monk. At first glance, the Japanese man weighed down with camera equipment appeared lost. A casual observer would conclude he had wandered off from one of the many tour groups visiting Cambodia's ancient ruins. Despite his appearance, he moved deliberately, following the path cut the day before by Bates and his porter. As he approached the temple he could see Bates' porter packing the last of the camp in preparation for his trek back to the road.

After appearing to struggle with his phrase book for a few minutes, the Japanese tourist and the porter finally found common ground. Both spoke English. The porter was more than eager to rant about the strange behavior of the employer who disappeared in the night leaving him in the jungle to break camp by himself.

The Japanese tourist wandered around the temple site, apparently taking random pictures of the ancient site. Checking to be certain he was unobserved, he slipped inside the structure. Once out of the porter's sight he moved swiftly down one of the corridors until he reached the end. Several stone monkey heads adorned the wall. He touched them in sequence causing the wall to his left to slide back exposing the stairway to the monk's chamber. He quickly entered, closing the entrance behind him.

The floor of the chamber told the story. Very recently a single human and several simians had gathered before the altar. The human footprints ended before the golden stand. Patterns in the dust revealed that something had been placed in the golden stand. The man he sought had come here to consult the monk. He must do so as well.

Without the golden banana, he had to rely on ancient rites to summon the monk. He pulled a small scroll from a hidden pocket and read quickly through it, refreshing his memory. Then he seated himself before the altar and began the ancient chant. Upon completion of the chant, the smiling monk appeared. "Welcome, disciple. You seek the one who would break the curse of Yono the Destroyer."

"_Hai, Shuudoushi_."

"The ancient power he posses and that untapped which he seeks together shall restore one now cursed to darkness to the realm of the light."

'Must be a clue in there somewhere,' the supplicant thought as he wrote down the prophecy. He bowed and thanked the monk, then headed back out of the temple. With the porter still there he made a show of taking pictures until came across the trail left by Bates and the monkey legion heading to the east from the temple. Taking a cel phone from his pocket, he relayed the monk's words to his contact in Siem Riep along with the direction taken by their quarry. After making certain the porter had not seen him, he slipped into the jungle following Bates' trail.

KPKPKPKPKP

Back in Middleton things were not going well. From the time her father picked them up until they arrived at the Possible home, Kim said nothing other than "I'm fine" when Ron tried to talk to her. He wished she would let go. She had to be angry about the evening's events. Instead she just sat there, silent and sullen.

Yori was back from Wade's when they reached home. Kim made it clear she had no desire to deal with the car that night. As they waited for the tow service to bring the remains home, Ron talked with her brothers about repairing the car. Kim was in the midst of a pity fiesta. She and Yori were seated at the kitchen table, a half-gallon of rocky road open between them. Between bites, Kim let out her frustrations. "I can't believe Motor Ed stripped my car. Everything has been going so wrong. It was so quiet for the first few months after the diablo sitch, but now it just seems it's all falling apart. I am so ready to just drop the whole mission thing right now before something else happens."

"A great warrior need not win every skirmish," Yori replied.

"She has to survive. Oh let me see what's happened. If it weren't for Shego's ego a space alien would have vaporized me. I have been nearly boiled in lava, had my mind wiped, crash landed in the middle of a snow storm, and been out of action for nearly two months with this stupid leg. Not to mention being turned to stone and saved by a baby. Would make for great television, but sucks as a life. Then when I try to get back into the game I can't even handle Motor Ed. That has to be some kind of a sign."

"Perhaps. But I am certain others would disagree." The ninja glanced up at Ron who had been standing in the doorway listening.

"Enough with the quitter talk, KP," Ron interjected. "It's been just as dangerous all along. Remember the tick? The embarrassment ninjas? Drakken's steel box in the bottomless pit? Senior's octopus? Zoropox handcuffing you to the bed?" Both girls looked at him with strange expressions and he blushed. "Never mind, forget I said that. Point is it's always been risky. You're just down 'cause Ed played you. We'll get him."

"Yeah Ron, we'll get him," Kim responded in a flat voice as the Kimmunicator on her wrist beeped.

Kim looked at the device and shook her head. Ron reached over and took her arm so he could answer the call. "What up, Wade?" he asked.

"Monkey Fist's credit card was used to buy airplane fuel in Cambodia. Followed it up and it appears his plane is on the way to Japan. I'm tracking it right now. I'll set up a ride."

"The Yamanouchi jet is still here," Yori replied. "But we still need a ride to the airport."

"Out front in 10," Wade replied.

"You two go ahead," a despondent Kim said taking another bite of ice cream. "Somebody has to stay behind and guard the Rocky Road." Ron and Yori looked at each other, shaking their heads.

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A/N: A Naco Night Twofer coupon to those who can identify the literary reference in this chapter.


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